The Los Angeles Lakers need Anthony Davis to play better.
It is totally understood that the NBA needs the Los Angeles Lakers in the postseason. A LeBron-led team getting a chance to defend their crown brings a lot of intrigue to the casual fan. However, none of this will come to pass the way Anthony Davis has played since he returned to the lineup.
Los Angeles Lakers: Anthony Davis must play better.
Davis is not aggressive enough on the floor on either end. On the offensive end, he gets the ball on the wing and just holds it for numerous seconds before he makes his move or passes it. On the defensive end, he has been a nonfactor for about 90 percent of his minutes on the floor.
AD finished with 12 points (5-16 shooting!), nine rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and a block. What’s the problem? Siakam dominated the game from start to finish, and AD is usually the best defensive player on the floor. The rotations were two or three steps behind and most of the Raptors’ drives were not even contested strong enough to bother them.
For the first time in the Lakers purple and gold, Davis looked weak on the basketball court. The Raptors front line out-toughed him and he spent more time checking his mouth after an elbow or his shoulder after getting the ball slapped out of his hands.
While Anthony Davis struggled mightily in this game, Andre Drummond was on his way to a monster night for the Los Angeles Lakers. Read the one thing that kept that from happening.